Lawn alternatives and their benefits and downsides!
Why are lawns a thing? Since going all in gardening, I look at every grass lawn and think 'this could be better used!'.
We all know how lawns aren't the best for the environment and take up a lot of water, time, etc.
Having been created as a status symbol, and kinda remaining one to this day.
If you're looking to transform your lawn to a more environmentally friendly alternative, these are some options for you!
1. Grow wild/fill with native plants
Benefits: Better for the air, helps spread native plants, creates a habitat for wildlife, low maintenance
Downsides: Not kid and pet friendly
2. Garden lawn
Benefits: Better for the air, can produce food
Downsides: High maintenance, not kid and pet friendly
3. Clover lawn
Benefits: Better for the air, kid and pet friendly, low maintenance
Downsides: Still a monoculture, difficult to start
4. Moss lawn
Benefits: Better for the air, filters chemicals, low maintenance, kid and pet friendly
Downsides: Still a monoculture, difficult to start
5. Normal lawn, but with some trees, other plants, or garden beds
Benefits: Kid and pet friendly, slightly better for the air, can produce some food (depending on what you plant)
Downsides: Not the most efficient use of space, keeps up the grass lawn culture
This is it. This is the post BUT I would enjoy hearing your stance on yards and how they affect the environment around you!
I've always wanted a lawn alternative and as it happens the ducks and chickens have managed to make short work of the grass at the house we moved into last year. This has made way for some lovely fluffy moss which I'm very pleased about but I do still dream of a chamomile lawn or one with creeping thyme plants.
Every year we try a new thing, this year it's a blend of thyme and clover with whatever else pops up as surprise. (We have lots of lovely medicinal plants that just grow without intervention - plantain, herb robert etc). A big question for us is how to get the previous occupants' sterile grass lawn out the frontside gone. Spent a fortune on yellow rattle, still not suppressed it.